| Mahadji Shinde | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meherban Shrimant Sardar Shinde Bahadur Naib Vakil-i-Mutlaq Amir-ul-Umara[1] | |||||
Mahadaji Shinde by James Wales | |||||
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| Reign | 18 January 1768 — 12 February 1794 | ||||
| Coronation | 18 January 1768 | ||||
| Predecessor | Manaji Rao Shinde | ||||
| Successor | Daulat Rao Shinde | ||||
| Born | c. 1730 | ||||
| Died | 12 February 1794 (aged 64) Wanawadi, Pune, Maratha Empire (present-day Maharashtra, India) | ||||
| Spouse | 9 wives
| ||||
| Issue | Bala Bai Chimna Bai | ||||
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| House | Shinde | ||||
| Father | Ranoji Rao Shinde | ||||
| Mother | Chima Bai | ||||
| Religion | Hinduism | ||||
Mahadaji Shinde (b. 23 December 1730 – 12 February 1794), later known as Mahadji Scindia or Madhava Rao Sindhia,[2] was a Maratha statesman and ruler of Ujjain in Central India. He was the fifth and the youngest son of Ranoji Rao Scindia, the founder of the Scindia dynasty. He is reputed for having restored the Maratha rule over North India and for modernizing his army.[3]
Mahadji was instrumental in resurrecting Maratha power in North India after the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, and rose to become a trusted lieutenant of the Peshwa, leader of the Maratha Empire. Along with Madhavrao I and Nana Fadnavis, he was one of the three pillars of Maratha Resurrection. During his reign, Gwalior became the leading state in the Maratha Empire and one of the foremost military powers in India. After accompanying Shah Alam II to Delhi in 1771, he restored the Mughals in Delhi and became the Naib Vakil-i-Mutlaq (Deputy Regent of the Empire).[4] Mahadji Shinde's principal advisors were all Shenvis.[5]
He annihilated the power of Jats of Mathura and during 1772-73 destroyed the power of Pashtun Rohillas in Rohilkhand and captured Najibabad. His role during the First Anglo-Maratha War was greatest from the Maratha side since he defeated the British in the Battle of Wadgaon which resulted in the Treaty of Wadgaon[6] and then again in Central India, single handed, which resulted in the Treaty of Salbai in 1782, where he mediated between the Peshwa and the British.
Mahadji Sindhia was deputed the Vakil-i-Mutlaq (Regent of the empire) of Mughal affairs in 1784.[7][8][9]
The Maratha-Sikh treaty in 1785 made the small Cis-Sutlej states, autonomous protectorate of the Scindia Dynasty of the Maratha Empire,[10] as Mahadji Sindhia was deputed the Vakil-i-Mutlaq (Regent of the empire) of Mughal affairs in 1784.[11][12] Following the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1806, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington drafted a treaty granting independence to the Sikh clans east of the Sutlej River in exchange for their allegiance to the British General Gerard Lake acting on his dispatch.[9][13] At the conclusion of the war, the frontier of British India was extended to the Yamuna.
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Main article: Treaty of Salbai |
After the defeats of the able British generals, Goddard and Murre in Konkan and Central India, respectively, Warren Hastings was forced to accept a fresh treaty, known as the Treaty of Salbai, recognizing the terms of the Marathas, which were to recognize Sawai Madhavrao as the Peshwa and grant Raghunathrao a pension.[14] The treaty also forced the British to evacuate and return to Shinde all his territories west of the Ganges. A resident, Mr. David Anderson (1750-1825), of St. Germains[15] (who had negotiated the treaty) was at the same time appointed to Mahadji's court.
In 1787, Mahadji attempted to invade Rajputana but he was repulsed by the Rajput armies at Lalsot. However, he regrouped his forces and in 1790, he avenged his defeat by crushing the Rajput kingdoms of Jodhpur and Jaipur in the battles of Patan and Merta, thus capturing all of Rajputana.[16]
In 1788, Isma'il Beg, a Persian who served as a general in the Mughal army along with a few hundred Mughal-Rohilla troops led a large-scale revolt against the Marathas, who dominated North India at the time. The reason for this revolt is unknown but most suspect that he was trying to resurrect the Islamic glory in North India and depose the Hindu Marathas. However, the revolt was immediately crushed and Isma'il Beg was defeated and executed by the Scindian armies. Thereafter, a Rohilla warlord named Ghulam Qadir, descendant of the infamously treacherous Najib-ud-Daualh and an ally of Isma'il Beg, captured Delhi, capital of the Mughals and deposed and blinded the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II, placing a puppet on the imperial throne. He unleased untold atrocities on the royal family and common populace, slaughtering thousands and looting about 22 Crores. However on 2 October 1788, Mahadji Scindia, upon hearing this news, quickly re-assembled his army and captured Delhi, torturing and eventually, killing Ghulam Qadir and restoring Shah Alam II to the throne.[17][18][19]
He worked with the English during the revolt of 1781 and played an important role in capturing Maharaja Chait Singh of Benares and crushing the revolt [20]
Another achievement of Mahadji was his victory over the Nizam of Hyderabad.[citation needed]
After the making peace with Tipu Sultan of Mysore in 1792, Mahadji is said to have exerted his influence to prevent the completion of an alliance between the British, the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the Peshwa against Tipu.[citation needed]
After the Battle of Lakheri, Mahadji was now at the zenith of his power, when he died, at his military camp at Wanavdi near Pune on 12 February 1794. He left no heir, and was succeeded by Daulat Rao Scindia.
Keeney, the English biographer of Mahadaji Shinde, has described Mahadaji as the greatest man in India in the 18th century.[21] Mahadaji Shinde's role was instrumental in establishing Maratha supremacy over North India.
Shinde Chhatri, located in Wanawadi, in Pune is a memorial dedicated to Mahadji Shinde. It is a hall that marks the spot of Mahadji Shinde's cremation on 12 February 1794. The three storied memorial in Rajput architectural style, is one of the most significant landmarks in the city.
